"How did you know it was me?"
"First, when we met outside the tea shed, you didn't speak, fearing I'd recognize your voice. Second, some merchants in Jinzhou City have seen you, indicating you came from the direction of Duanji City. Third, someone reported that your left leg was lame, and you're not mute. Fourth, you were originally heading towards the capital, but you avoided thorough checks by the officials, which shows that you have changed your appearance. Fifth, I always felt like I'd seen you before, with your outstanding and aloof demeanor. After thinking it through, besides His Royal Highness King An whom I've been following for eight years, you're the only suitable candidate. Does King An find these five reasons convincing?"
Xiao Yeheng, feeling exposed, removed the mask covering his face, revealing a partially disfigured yet handsome face. "Only King Jin's people would know about my injured left leg. Tang Dongjin, I've always treated you well. Since you've followed me for seven years, why not turn back? King Jin is just a petty person. Do you think following him will lead to a good outcome?"
"King An indeed has keen insight, knowing that I, your subordinate, have defected to King Jin." Tang Dongjin remained unmoved. "In the past, perhaps I wouldn't have betrayed you. But now, nearly half of your supporters and the emperor's party members have been eliminated, and even the Emperor has fallen victim to the Qihuan Poison. A wise man knows how to adapt to their circumstances, so I ask for King An's forgiveness. Out of gratitude for King An's past favor, I promise to ensure you a proper burial." With a wave of his hand, he ordered, "Charge them!"
Hundreds of soldiers rushed forward, emanating a murderous aura.
Xiao Yeheng drew the dagger from his waist and engaged in battle with the approaching soldiers.
While Xiao Yeheng and Tang Dongjin were talking, Yan Shuixin took the opportunity to retrieve the prepared poison powder from the carriage and scatter it towards the nearby soldiers. She also tucked a coil of rope into her spacious sleeve, just in case.
Dozens of soldiers fell victim to the poison, their bodies going limp.
Yan Shuixin had spent money to procure the poison and prepared it herself, just in case she was caught and needed it.
In an instant, Xiao Yeheng wielded his long knife, slashing in a circular motion, and five people ahead each had their necks slashed open, falling to their deaths.
The poisoned soldiers convulsed on the ground, devoid of life.
Seeing this, Tang Dongjin shouted, "Hold your breath; be careful of the poison!"
Yan Shuixin continued to scatter the poison powder, saying with a smile, "Holding your breath won't help. Once it touches you, you're dead!"
She and Xiao Yeheng had taken the antidote beforehand.
With a flick of her wrist, she continued to scatter the poison powder carried by the wind, spreading even farther.
Several dozen more soldiers succumbed to the poison.
Tang Dongjin ordered a retreat, deploying shields to form a barrier.
Yan Shuixin smiled. "Hundreds of people are still afraid of the two of us. Don't worry, I've run out of poison."
Tang Dongjin, enraged, gestured, "Attack, decapitate this vile woman!"
"You despicable and shameless traitor!" Xiao Yeheng condensed his true energy in his palm, chopping off several heads with his long knife. "How dare you disrespect my princess? I'll exterminate your entire clan!"
King An never spoke falsehoods, so Tang Dongjin was greatly alarmed. "Those who don't want to die, kill him quickly!"
Hundreds of soldiers surged forward. Yan Shuixin pulled out another packet of poison powder from her sleeve and scattered it. Dozens more soldiers fell victim to the poison, collapsing.
Tang Dongjin fumed, "Didn't you say you ran out of poison?"
"Yeah, this isn't poison; it's just bone-softening powder." She wasn't lying.
"You!" Tang Dongjin's anger boiled over. "You cunning wretch, kill her!"
Several people attacked Yan Shuixin. She drew a soft sword from her waist, one she had used before Xia Chuxue, and infused it with a weak true energy, making the sword straight and powerful, slashing with all her might.
Unfortunately, there were simply too many soldiers; it seemed they couldn't be defeated.
Xiao Yeheng and Yan Shuixin found themselves at a disadvantage in the fierce battle.
Tang Dongjin sat on a high-headed horse and stretched out his hand, and an attendant handed him a bow and arrows. He aimed at Yan Shuixin and released the arrow swiftly.
Yan Shuixin was entangled by a skilled opponent, unable to pay attention to the flying arrow.
Xiao Yeheng chopped off the head of an attendant who was about to attack Yan Shuixin and positioned himself in front of her. "Be careful!"
The arrow struck his arm, and blood gushed out.
"Husband!" Yan Shuixin called out anxiously as several soldiers approached from three sides, their long swords swinging. Xiao Yeheng wielded his sword, cutting down several long swords. With a leap and a spin, he kicked more than ten soldiers away.
Archers behind Tang Dongjin released arrows, causing the besieging soldiers to retreat.
A dense rain of arrows shot towards Xiao Yeheng and Yan Shuixin. There was a large flat area beside the cliff, and the only obstacle was the carriage.
The two had no choice but to dodge behind the carriage.
The carriage was pierced with arrows on all three sides. The horse neighed and collapsed under the onslaught of countless arrows.
Yan Shuixin watched as the horse closed its eyes. It had carried her and Xiao Yeheng for over 1,300 kilometers, traveling tirelessly day and night.
And it was extremely obedient. Several times, she untied the reins from the carriage and let it roam freely.
She had even planned to let it retire peacefully. Though it was just a beast, she had grown fond of it, never expecting it to die so tragically.
Yan Shuixin's eyes reddened with anger. "Tang Dongjin, I want you to be torn apart by five horses!"
Xiao Yeheng held her tightly in his arms, fearing that the arrow rain would harm her.
The carriage was made of wood, and the arrows were blocked by the other side of the carriage.
"My lord, your wounds..." She looked at the several cuts on his body, and the arrows in his arm were oozing dark blood.
He was wearing bamboo armor, but unfortunately, the unprotected areas were hit by the arrows.
Xiao Yeheng pulled out the arrow lodged in his arm, and dark blood immediately gushed out.
Yan Shuixin sprinkled the prepared wound medicine on his wound to stop the bleeding.
The bleeding from his wound ceased.
Seeing that frontal attacks with arrows were ineffective, Tang Dongjin instructed archers to shoot from the sides. Xiao Yeheng pulled out several arrows and threw them towards the side archers, hitting one of them dead.
"How long do you think you can hide behind the carriage?" Tang Dongjin saw this and attached a paste to the arrows beforehand, igniting them before shooting.
Several other archers followed suit, shooting arrows with grease at the carriage. The entire carriage quickly caught fire, containing grains and oil.
Instantly, thick smoke billowed, and the carriage burst into flames.
Xiao Yeheng gathered his strongest true energy and swung it towards the burning carriage. The fiery carriage flew towards Tang Dongjin's group, causing several soldiers to fall.
"Useless! Just two people, and yet you can't kill them? Kill them, and there will be a generous reward!" Tang Dongjin shouted.
"Charge!" Hundreds of soldiers surged forward, blades glinting, and shouts echoing.
Xiao Yeheng was forced to fight again, hoping to find an opportunity to break out of the encirclement, but they were surrounded on all sides with no way out.
The archers were unable to shoot accurately and were afraid of accidentally hurting their own people, so they hesitated for a while.
Yan Shuixin lifted her soft sword, moving with agility amidst a sea of blood and carnage.
Unnoticed, she received two shallow cuts on her body, narrowly avoiding serious injury.
Xiao Yeheng was wounded in multiple places, but he still shielded Yan Shuixin in the midst of the battle.
Tang Dongjin wielded his long sword, leaping into the air, stepping on the heads of several soldiers, and soaring towards them. Xiao Yeheng followed suit, engaging in a chaotic mid-air battle.
Yan Shuixin was surrounded by hundreds of soldiers. As she fought with her sword, she felt a faint pain in her abdomen. Suddenly, she crouched down, planting her sword into the ground.
The child...was in danger, and she felt the onset of miscarriage!
As she was about to be struck down by several swords, Xiao Yeheng, momentarily distracted, unleashed a powerful palm strike, forcing back the soldiers attacking her.
Seizing the opportunity while he was distracted, Tang Dongjin swung his sword towards Xiao Yeheng's shoulder with enough force to sever his entire arm.
To his surprise, Xiao Yeheng's shoulder was as solid as a rock, and the sword couldn't penetrate! Tang Dongjin was taken aback.
A cold smile displayed on Xiao Yeheng's lips. The bamboo armor his wife had made was truly impenetrable.
His own blade pierced Tang Dongjin's chest, and the latter was sent flying like a kite with a broken string.
In an instant, Yan Shuixin was forced to retreat to the edge of the cliff by the encircling soldiers. Her abdomen ached, and it was not suitable to use her true energy. To avoid six simultaneous attacks from several soldiers, she flashed backward but ended up falling off the cliff.
Xiao Yeheng's eyes were bloodshot, and he let out a despairing roar, "Xin'er!"
A powerful aura emanated from him, sending the surrounding soldiers flying.
At the same time, the thunderous sound of galloping hooves filled the air as Emperor Xiao Jing personally led tens of thousands of troops to the scene. Seeing Xiao Yeheng, he joyously and excitedly called out, "Third Imperial Brother!"
Xiao Yeheng's lone eye was red, and he seemed deaf to the world around him. A fake eyeball had fallen out at some point, leaving a cold hole in his left eye socket, and his scarred face resembled a bloodthirsty demon. His blood-dripping, long knife struck fear into anyone who dared to oppose him.
The terrifying momentum he exuded was more frightening than that of Yama, the King of Hell!
For a moment, the soldiers surrounding him retreated in fear.
Tang Dongjin, with a knife in his chest, lay on the ground with only a breath left.
Of the five hundred guards he had brought, only three hundred remained alive. Seeing the Emperor leading a large army, they all became too afraid to continue fighting.
It seemed as if a gaping wound had opened up in Xiao Yeheng's heart, and an endless pain engulfed him, suffocating him.
His Xin'er had fallen off the cliff... His Xin'er was dead...
His beloved wife was still carrying their child. He had just learned the joyous news of becoming a father. How could she die? How could this be?
Tears of sorrow flowed down his handsome right cheek, numb with grief.
Like a walking corpse, he approached the edge of the cliff, gazing into the abyss below without hesitation. "Xin'er, do not fear. I am coming to be with you!"
"Third Imperial Brother!" Emperor Xiao Jing had long noticed something was amiss. Utilizing his lightness skill, he leaped from his horse and, with a few bounds, reached the edge of the cliff. He embraced Xiao Yeheng, who had just leaped, and began to pull him away from the edge.
"Leave me alone; I'm going to be with Xin'er. I want to accompany her!" Xiao Yeheng screamed hoarsely, struggling forcefully to break free.
Emperor Xiao Jing waved his hand, and several Imperial Guards rushed forward to restrain Xiao Yeheng, but the latter's immense strength overwhelmed them all.
Emperor Xiao Jing couldn't bear to watch his most beloved brother die and ordered, "Render him unconscious."
Several elite Imperial Guards surrounded him, and one of them seized the opportunity to strike him on the back of the neck, knocking Xiao Yeheng unconscious.
Emperor Xiao Jing surveyed the scene of devastation. More than two hundred bodies of soldiers littered the ground, and the unconscious Xiao Yeheng was being supported by two Imperial Guards, covered in countless wounds.
Combined with what he had witnessed from afar during Tang Dongjin's battle with King An.
Emperor Xiao Jing was a clever man and immediately understood what had happened. He glared fiercely at the three hundred or so surviving soldiers present. "You, who have sided with King Jin, are all guilty of treason!"
The three hundred or so soldiers stood facing the Emperor with their weapons drawn.
Behind Emperor Xiao Jing were over ten thousand iron cavalry. "I have led ten thousand elite soldiers this time. Do you still wish to seek death?"
Facing such overwhelming force, the three hundred or so mutinous soldiers trembled in fear.
Emperor Xiao Jing's gaze fell on Tang Dongjin, who was barely standing. "King An has treated you generously, and this is how you repay him?"
"A wise bird always chooses a safe tree to nest in." Tang Dongjin wiped a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth. "Emperor, you have been poisoned and will soon go mad. The world will soon enough belong to King Jin. How can we not obey our future monarch?"
"Before I go mad, I will delegate the throne to King An." Emperor Xiao Jing sneered coldly. "I will never allow the second prince, Xiao Shen, that ambitious wolf, to inherit the throne."
"I'm afraid Your Majesty will be disappointed." Tang Dongjin pointed at the blood seeping from King An's wound. "Look at the color of the blood oozing from King An's wound, which is black and blue. Our blades were not poisoned, and just now, his eyes were blood-red. His symptoms indicate that he has been afflicted with Qihuan Poison for some time now. It's uncertain, but he may already be mad. Emperor, you should abdicate before King Jin. Perhaps King Jin will spare your life out of brotherly love."
The Third Prince was actually poisoned! Emperor Xiao Jing was extremely shocked. Looking at Xiao Yeheng, whose body was soaked through with black and blue blood, his eyes filled with pain. "My empire was obtained by King An five years ago, which led to the loss of his left eye and half of his left face. This prosperous land will not be handed over to King Jin. Guards, seize Tang Dongjin and his accomplices and execute them on the spot!"
Tang Dongjin, clutching his severely wounded chest, was eager to lead the troops into battle.
The Emperor spoke sternly: "Those who surrender on the spot will not be executed, including their relatives. However, if they resist, their entire families will be executed!"
The more than three hundred guards looked at each other, and in the end, almost all of them threw down their weapons and kneeled on the ground, bowing their heads.
Thinking about King An's words about wiping out his entire family, Tang Dongjin led a small group of guards to resist. As a result, they were all killed.
The guards who surrendered were spared by the Emperor, showing mercy for their consciences, but they couldn't escape imprisonment. They were demoted to slave convicts and sentenced to life as laborers in the imperial mines.
Emperor Xiao Jing walked to the edge of the cliff, glanced at the abyss below, where the person called 'Xin'er' by Xiao Yeheng was likely shattered to pieces.
But he still ordered a search down the cliff.
He also had a carriage prepared to send Xiao Yeheng back to King An's residence and ordered the best imperial physician to treat him. The results showed that King An was indeed deeply poisoned.
The imminent change of power in the world was painful.
Before King A disappeared, his left leg was intact, but now half of his left leg is missing.
Emperor Xiao Jing was heartbroken, tears streaming down his face.
He had harmed the Third Prince again. If it weren't for Xiao Yeheng helping him stabilize the empire, he wouldn't have been seen as a thorn in the side by King Jin, nor would he have lost another part of his body after losing his left eye and left half of his face.
Third Prince, how can I repay what I owe you?
...
After being forced off the cliff, Yan Shuixin's body swiftly plummeted downward. Several clumps of resilient weeds mixed with small branches cushioned the force of her fall.
She maintained the clearest state of mind, trying to grasp onto something. After falling hundreds of meters, she finally managed to grab hold of a section of a tree trunk growing horizontally out of the steep cliff.
The trunk was only as thin as her wrist, and before Yan Shuixin could even catch her breath, the trunk couldn't hold the weight and snapped.
She was so scared, her heart almost stopped, and she quickly reached out her foot to brace against a protrusion on the cliff, pressing her body against the rock to reduce the strain on the branches. This prevented them from breaking further.
She was already holding onto the thickest branch of the tree, and it had snapped. Moreover, the bumps on the cliff were very slippery, and she could hardly keep her grip.
Looking down, the sheer cliff seemed bottomless, with no trees or footholds in sight.
Yan Shuixin felt her position was precarious, on the verge of falling to her death.
But the thought of Xiao Yeheng still uncertain at the top of the cliff spurred her on. She told herself she couldn't die, no matter how difficult it was.
Her mind racing, she glanced around and finally spotted a tree about two meters above at an angle, with a trunk thicker than a bowl—there was her chance!
With one hand holding onto the broken branch, she struggled to retrieve a coil of rope from her pocket. She looped one end of the rope around herself under her armpits, then unfurled the long rope. At the other end was a hook. With all her strength, she threw the hooked end toward the thick tree trunk at an angle above her, high enough to clear the trunk, and let it dangle down. With skillful precision, she jerked the rope, hooking onto the dangling part of the rope and forming a knot.
At almost the same time, the branch she was holding onto completely snapped. Once again, she was in free fall, letting out a reflexive scream, "Ah!"
About a hundred meters down, the long rope tied around her armpits went taut, suspending her mid-air from the half of the thick tree trunk, swaying in the wind.
Still shaken, she looked down and realized there were still fifty to sixty meters to the bottom of the cliff.
She couldn't help but feel grateful that she had impulsively grabbed this bundle of rope from the carriage. Because at that moment, she thought, a cliff and, well, a rope might come in handy.
It really did save her life.
The trunk above was thick enough to support her weight, allowing her to catch her breath.
Perhaps the force of her fall had dislodged some loose rocks from the cliff, and two or three rocks larger than fists fell along with a cloud of dust from the cliff face, landing directly on her head.
If she hadn't looked up in time and quickly pushed off with her feet against the cliff, swinging her body outwards with the rope, letting the rocks fall through the gap she created, she would have been crushed.
This was not safe.
Yan Shuixin looked up at the clear sky, unaware of when it had turned dark.
The plateau of the clifftop, towering so high she couldn't see its peak, seemed impossible to ascend.
The only option was to go down.
Surveying the area for a point of leverage, she noticed a protruding rock about five or six meters to her left. She quickly swung the rope over, but after swinging across, she found that she was still fifty centimeters short of reaching the rock. The vertical rope wasn't long enough.
Frustrated, she glanced down at the rope cinched painfully under her armpits. The loop around her body, when unraveled, was longer than fifty centimeters.
She tied a portion of the loose end of the rope around her right wrist, then pulled. The loop around her body unraveled, and she dropped another sixty or seventy centimeters.
This time, the rope was tied to her wrist, and she found herself hanging in mid-air, supported only by her right hand.
In one fluid motion, she kicked off the cliff wall again, finally landing on the protruding rock.
"Damn it!" Yan Shuixin cursed, retrieving a dagger from the sheath at her waist. With a surge of weak internal energy, she threw the dagger towards the rope hanging dozens of meters above. The blade smoothly cut through the vertical rope.
Once again, she thanked Xiao Yeheng. If he hadn't taught her internal energy, an ordinary person couldn't cut a rope by throwing a knife; it required using internal energy.
The dozens of meters of rope fell, the other end still tied to her wrist. She easily gathered the rope's loose end and tied it around the protruding rock below, pulling it tight.
She deliberately pulled the wrist-bound rope tight and jumped downward.
Now, one end of the rope was tied to the protruding rock, and she descended dozens of meters, the other end tied to her right wrist.
Because she pulled the rope above her wrist with her left hand, it softened the impact on her right wrist from the descent.
Looking down, she was only about ten meters from the ground.
There were many protruding rocks and small trees below.
Yan Shuixin untied the rope from her wrist, found a deep crevice in the rock wall to stand on, and climbed down like a spider, stretching her feet onto the tangled branches below.
She grabbed the branches, descending further until she was two to three meters from the ground. Then, using her weak internal energy, she pivoted, landing gracefully.
"Whew..." She finally reached the ground, relieved that she hadn't fallen to her death.
She was grateful. Glancing around, she saw a large patch of overgrown grass nearby and many large trees in the distance.
After searching the area, she retrieved the dagger she had thrown into the air to cut the rope from a clump of grass ten meters away and sheathed it back.
Her lower abdomen had been aching faintly all along. Yan Shuixin's face was as pale as paper as she checked her own pulse.
The baby in her belly had been startled too.
But he/she is a resilient child, showing no signs of leaving.
Yan Shuixin walked to a large rock about thirty to forty meters away and sat down to rest. She took out a small bottle of first-aid medicine she always carried and applied it to the two cuts on her body to stop the bleeding.
She didn't dare to get too close to the bottom of the cliff, afraid that something might fall from above and hit her.
Cross-legged, she circulated her qi, channeling internal energy throughout her body. She immediately felt much better.
Learning martial arts really came in handy.
Unfortunately, in terms of martial arts cultivation, she was well aware that, in this era, she was still just a novice.
It was only by combining modern disciplines like judo and taekwondo that she could barely handle five or six people.
Add in the use of poison, and she could easily kill a group of people.
When her stomach stopped hurting, she cautiously resumed walking.
She stumbled upon something on the ground—it was Xia Chuxue's soft sword that she had brought out of the prison. She picked it up, sheathing it back into the soft scabbard around her waist like a belt.
It had to be said that this soft sword was pretty good. It could also be used as a decorative belt or for cutting.
The only downside was that it required internal energy to use.
Moreover, Xia Chuxue had said before her death that this sword was a gift from King Jin. Yan Shuixin didn't like anything associated with King Jin, but for now, she couldn't afford to buy a suitable sword. After returning to the capital, she could sell it and then have money.
Using the setting sun to determine the direction, she headed east, back to the capital city.
She entered the overgrown forest.
Before long, it became dark.
The unfamiliar sounds of insects and birds at night were particularly frightening.
As she passed by a large pine tree, she scraped off many pieces of resinous wood from the trunk with her dagger and tied them into a small bundle with vines. When it was completely dark, she took out her portable flint and ignited one of the resinous wood pieces tied to a fifty-centimeter-long stick.
Resinous wood burned much longer than ordinary firewood.
She made a simple torch.
She didn't want to walk in the dark. But she worried about Xiao Yeheng. How was he doing?
She reached out to touch her abdomen and murmured softly, "Baby, your daddy will be fine, right?"
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Let the child call its father according to the conventions of ancient times.
Alone in the dark forest at the bottom of the cliff, she was also afraid.
Suppressing the tears that were about to well up in her eyes, she told herself to be brave and not to be afraid.
After all, she still had her baby in her belly.
Hiss...
A few strange noises suddenly sounded from the grass ahead.
Yan Shuixin's torch illuminated the area, revealing two poisonous snakes, each as thick as an arm, coiled together.
The snakes were mating...
They were so big that one bite would be fatal.
She quickly tiptoed away to the side; thankfully, the two large snakes didn't pursue her.
She broke off a straight wooden stick about a meter long, and at the bottom of the stick, she used her dagger to carve out a U-shaped fork.
Just in case she encountered snakes again, she could use it.
Sure enough, the long stick in her hand beat the bushes and woods ahead, startling away several snakes.
She was so afraid of snakes that it made her scalp tingle.
After walking for who knows how long, she felt hungry. She took out a dried meat pie from her pocket and nibbled on it, washing it down with a sip of cool water from the sheepskin water bottle hanging from her waist.
She saved the pie; it could last for two meals.
Because she and Xiao Yeheng had almost been on the run all the way, she always carried simple survival items with her.
After walking and resting intermittently, she was really tired. She used her dagger to gather a bunch of grass and twigs from the nearby shrubs and set them on fire.
It was cold in the later part of the night, and the fire was quite warming.
She laid some dry grass by the fire and laid down to sleep on the ground.
She didn't sleep through the night, waking up cold when the fire went out after two hours, and continued traversing the low mountains and ridges.
Tonight there were stars, and the direction of the Big Dipper's seven stars could be determined. She had read a lot of books, so even at night, she wouldn't lose her way.
The ground beneath her feet became damp, and there was a flowing stream ahead.
A couple of days after leaving the capital, she bought a map of the capital city. The main mountains and rivers nearby were clearly marked.
The stream merged into a big river.
According to the location of the cliff fall near the royal hunting grounds, she walked in that direction all along. If she guessed correctly, the stream would merge into the Wei River two miles from the Cold Moon Villa.
She walked along the stream for a while. If the bank was impassable, she would detour further and then return.
Sure enough, when it was barely light, she saw a river several tens of meters wide.
She could swim, and she was a good swimmer.
To be honest, give her a large piece of wood, and she could drift downstream for a long time without dying.
But being pregnant meant swimming was strenuous, and the water was cold. If she could avoid getting into the water, she would.
She glanced back at the bamboo in the woods, a hundred meters away. Did she have to make a bamboo raft herself?
She had already experienced complications in her pregnancy; just walking was her limit. Working hard to make a raft might cause a miscarriage.
There were many villages within a few miles around here. Perhaps if she waited, a fishing boat would pass by?
Thinking of this, she found a large rock by the river with a good view and sat down. As she nibbled on the last half of her remaining biscuit, she waited and practiced martial arts.
Because she discovered that cultivating inner strength was good for the baby in her belly.
Even in the midst of summer, the early morning still felt cool.
Inner strength could still ward off the cold.
After about three hours, when she was almost about to give up waiting, a fishing boat finally appeared at the bend in the river ahead.
Yan Shuixin quickly raised both hands above her head and shouted, "Hey! Over here!"
The people on the fishing boat saw her and rowed over.
Yan Shuixin took out a piece of cloth from her pocket and tore it in half, using it to bandage the two cuts on her clothes that were made yesterday. Her wounds were shallow, and after applying medicine yesterday, they had already improved a lot. Tying up the cuts in her clothes was to prevent the obvious knife wounds from alarming the locals.
However, the blood seeping through her clothes couldn't be hidden.
A not-so-big fishing boat approached, manned by a middle-aged man and a young lad in his twenties. Both of them had ordinary appearances and dark skin, looking like father and son.
"Hey, young lad, what are you doing alone out here in the wilderness? There are too many snakes, rats, and ants in the grass by the shore around here. Except for occasional fishing boats passing through the river channel, no one dares to stay here." The middle-aged man spoke.
Yan Shuixin was still dressed in men's clothing, but the intentionally ugly makeup on her face had been washed off when she washed her face, and she said with a deliberately low mood, "Originally, I rented a boat to come here for an outing, but it's my fault. The boatman went back first. So, I'm left alone, at a loss. Uncle, could you take me to the nearby village junction? I'm willing to pay."
The young lad on the boat docked it. "Come aboard. You're lucky to run into us. According to this weather, it's going to pour soon."
"Thank you, young man." Yan Shuixin stepped onto the boat, and the young lad even helped 'him' up.
However, he felt that 'his' arms were slender, and even through the clothes, they felt soft. The young lad couldn't help but stare blankly for a moment, blushing at Yan Shuixin's stunning appearance.
"Let's take you to the junction near Li County." The middle-aged man also glanced at Yan Shuixin a few more times and said, "From there, it's about ten miles by water. Taking you there will delay our work, so one or two silver coins will do."
"Alright." Yan Shuixin hurriedly took out a small lump of silver from his pocket and handed it to him.
The middle-aged man took it and put it in his pocket. "That's settled, then. We didn't come here for nothing."
The young lad hastened to say, "Dad, why are you asking for so much money? That's almost half a month's wages. A hundred copper coins would be enough, and you can get back the extra."
The middle-aged man glared at his son. "Get back what? If it weren't for us, he wouldn't know how long he'd have to stay here. He might starve to death."
Yan Shuixin wasn't in danger of starving in the wilderness; she could set up some traps to hunt and make a fork to catch fish in the shallow water.
If she hadn't encountered these two people, she would have just waited for another boat.
Not liking the middle-aged man's harsh words, she said, "Uncle, it's not good to curse people to death, is it?"
The middle-aged man also realized he had spoken harshly: "We country folks are a bit blunt. Please don't mind."
Yan Shuixin thought she had insulted rural people, so she didn't speak again. The young lad, seeing that his father insisted on charging more money, could only sit at the bow of the boat but couldn't help sneaking glances at Yan Shuixin from time to time.
After a while, the boat arrived at Hejiatun and docked. Yan Shuixin stepped onto the land.
The young lad couldn't stop staring at her graceful figure.
"What are you looking at? That woman isn't suitable to be your wife." The middle-aged man scolded angrily.
"She's a woman?" The young lad looked surprised.
"Of course." The middle-aged man said, "She has delicate skin and no Adam's apple."
"Dad, I like her. Why couldn't you be nicer to her just now?"
"Don't get involved with her. A woman, with her whole body covered in dried blood, in that godforsaken place. Do you believe she was just out for a stroll? If you get too close to her, you might lose your life without knowing it. We'll just make a quick profit and call it a day."
The young lad was obedient and replied, "Yes."
Yan Shuixin heard the conversation behind her but didn't mind.
Indeed, getting close to her might mean losing one's head at any moment.
Hejiatun was a large village with over a thousand households. There were several tea shops, tailors, and inns by the main road outside the village where people passing through to the capital could rest.
The dark sky flashed with lightning and thunder. 'Boom, boom...' Suddenly, it started pouring rain.
Yan Shuixin's clothes were stained with a lot of blood. Seeing several new men's shirts hanging in a tailor's shop, she walked in.
"Hey, sir, why is there so much blood on your clothes?" The middle-aged woman in the shop asked.
"Oh, I accidentally fell off the road." Yan Shuixin lied and pointed to one of the suits hanging on the wall. "Boss, are you selling this suit?"
"Of course." The boss didn't even bargain: "It's not made of good material, three hundred wen each."
"Give me a set."
"Alright." The boss took down the model Yan Shuixin wanted.
Yan Shuixin went to the changing room next to her and changed into a clean men's shirt. After tying up her hair again, she paid and stood at the door of the shop, watching the pouring rain. "I don't have an umbrella. I want to take a break at the inn next door."
For the sake of her baby in her belly, she shouldn't walk too far at once.
"You can rest at my place. There are two extra guest rooms in the backyard of my shop. The price is cheap, thirty wen coins per night, and it's quieter than the roadside inn." The boss lady was good at doing business.
"What about food?"
"I'll take care of that. We have vegetables at home, and the price for food is also reasonable."
Yan Shuixin thought it was alright, so she temporarily stayed at the tailor's shop.
After the rain stopped, she heard at the roadside inn that the court had issued announcements to various towns and even villages that King An had returned to the capital on his own.
People from the capital also saw the emperor sending someone to escort Xiao Yeheng to King An's residence.
So, Yan Shuixin speculated that after she fell off the cliff, the emperor arrived in time and saved Xiao Yeheng.
Then she felt relieved.
The checkpoints set up by King Jin in various places couldn't catch anyone anymore, so they were all removed.
Now, the road to the capital was clear.
Everyone was lamenting and searching for King An's promised reward, but surprisingly, no one received it; they all went back on their own. What a pity.
Hejiatun was only about forty miles from the capital, so she wanted to return to the capital immediately to see Xiao Yeheng. However, her stomach began to ache faintly again.
Thinking that the baby in her belly was Xiao Yeheng's only heir, she was especially cautious.
There was no pharmacy in this village, so she had to go to the nearby Li County, five miles away, to buy some medicine. She gave some silver to the boss lady at the tailor's shop to find someone to help her buy some prenatal medicine. She wasn't afraid of the boss lady finding out that she was cross-dressing as a woman. Anyway, King Jin's people probably thought she had fallen off the cliff, so no one would arrest her. The boss lady at the tailor's shop even kindly washed her blood-stained clothes and sewed up the torn areas with two bamboo stitches.
Yan Shuixin brewed a dose of prenatal medicine every day.
For safety's sake, she stayed at the tailor's house in Hejiatun for three days, eating and drinking well every day.
It wasn't until she had nourished the baby in her belly well that she settled the bill and took a passing merchant's carriage back to the capital.
She left early in the morning, and by noon, the carriage had entered the gate of the capital and stopped in front of an inn.
Yan Shuixin got off the carriage with several other passengers. After paying her own fare, she finally looked at the main street of the capital.
Shops lined the spacious streets, and buildings with flying eaves stood tall. Many vendors with large umbrellas enthusiastically shouted about their merchandise. The streets extended in all directions, bustling with people despite the scorching noon sun. It truly lived up to its reputation as the emperor's city, bustling and prosperous everywhere!
Walking in the crowd, Yan Shuixin occasionally heard passersby discussing how the current emperor, Xiao Jinglian, and a group of ministers had been poisoned by some strange drug. Many people were concerned about the future of the empire.
But more people just continued with their lives, because if the emperor fell, someone else would take his place.
Yan Shuixin thought that news of the emperor being poisoned must be kept secret. If it were exposed, it would definitely be the work of King Jin.
From Duanji City, more than 1,300 kilometers away, she had been thinking of returning to the capital every day. Now that she was standing on the land of the capital, she suddenly felt a sense of disconnection.
She wasn't an ancient person, and the original family of this body was strange to her.
She didn't intend to acknowledge the Yan family of the Ministry of Rites.
A woman in a gorgeous green silk shirt, wearing several shiny gold ornaments on her head, walked past. She had a melon-seed face, arched eyebrows, and big eyes, and she was none other than her former best friend, Li Xiangling, from modern times!
There was also a maid beside her, fanning her.
Yan Shuixin had a boyfriend named Zhao Shen in modern times. Because she refused to sleep with Zhao Shen before marriage, one day she caught Li Xiangling and Zhao Shen in bed together.
She decisively cut ties with these two people, and later, the unfaithful couple got married. It took her a long time to get over the pain of the breakup.
And then she was reborn.
"What are you looking at? Our young miss is the legitimate daughter of Yan, the Minister of Rites. Can you, a commoner, even look at her directly?" The maid beside the woman in the green shirt scolded Yan Shuixin.
For convenience, Yan Shuixin was dressed as a man. She guessed that the other party misunderstood her as a pervert.
But the identity of the woman with the melon-seed face mentioned by the little maid was unexpectedly the older sister of the original owner of this body!
Minister of Rites Yan Qing had two daughters, the eldest of whom, Yan Xiangling, was born to his legal wife.
The second daughter, Yan Shuixin, was the daughter of his concubine, Pei Yu.
Yan Shuixin thought of Pei Yu's death, feeling a little heavy-hearted.
"Many young men have been eyeing our young lady's beauty."
A trace of pride flashed in Yan Xiangling's eyes. "You don't need to bother with them."
The little maid who scolded Yan Shuixin responded with a "yes."
Yan Shuixin said, "So, you're the legitimate daughter of Minister Yan. My apologies."
Yan Xiangling glanced at 'him' in coarse male clothing and confirmed that he was a poor beggar. She snorted disdainfully, "I'm of noble status. If you keep staring at me, then I'll have your eyes gouged out!"
Several people nearby stopped to watch the scene.
Yan Shuixin suddenly realized two things: her half-sister Yan Xiangling from the same father didn't recognize her as her sister. Well, that made sense. The previous Yan Shuixin was weak-willed and had acne all over her face. Now that her acne was gone and her appearance was stunning, even in men's clothing, it was understandable that the other party didn't recognize her.
Secondly, Yan Xiangling wasn't Li Xiangling, her scumbag former best friend from modern times, because the latter liked it when men looked at her and flirted with her. She even pretended to be innocent. That wasn't the behavior of someone with an arrogant personality.
After understanding the situation, Yan Shuixin stepped aside and didn't block the way.
Yan Xiangling raised her chin and walked into the rouge shop nearby. "Only the rouge from Treasure Pavilion is worthy of me."
Her maid followed behind. "Miss, watch your step on the stairs."
Yan Shuixin withdrew her gaze and walked towards King An's mansion. Passing by the Yingtian Mansion Yamen, she saw a notice posted in the announcement area. It was recruiting famous doctors. If anyone could cure the strange poison, a reward of eight taels of gold and eight hundred mu of good land would be given, regardless of whether they were commoners or officials.
A crowd of onlookers surrounded the notice. Someone said, "This poison, when His Majesty was alive, had been studied by the Imperial Hospital for a while, but they couldn't find a cure. Moreover, His Majesty ordered all the imperial doctors to consult together, but they were helpless. That's why they had to post notices to the public."
Someone else added, "The best doctors from the common people have been selected and brought into the palace these days, but more than a hundred of them have come out with their heads hung low. Now His Majesty has ordered that if there's no certainty, one shouldn't easily apply; otherwise, they'll be punished with thirty heavy blows. Today I heard that no doctor dares to go and cure the poison."
Yan Shuixin regretted that she wasn't skilled in medicine and couldn't produce a cure for the strange poison. Otherwise, she could have received a great reward, and Xiao Yeheng wouldn't have had to suffer so much along the way.
Feeling a bit low, she adjusted her mood. As a pregnant woman, she had to stay cheerful.
King An's mansion was relatively far from here. Yan Shuixin hired a sedan chair carried by four people, which was carried to the gate of King An's mansion.
After paying, she asked the sedan bearers to leave first.
King An's mansion was located in a bustling area of the capital. The surrounding walls seemed endless, and on both sides of the vermilion gate stood tall stone lions. The three characters "King An's Mansion" were majestic on the plaque. The guards on both sides of the gate were imposing, showing that the master of the mansion was exceptionally noble.
Yan Shuixin stepped onto the steps of King An's mansion. One of the guards reached out to stop her. "King An's mansion is heavily guarded. Outsiders are not allowed to enter!"
"I'm Yan Shuixin, here to see Xiao Yeheng." She explained her purpose.
The guard sternly reprimanded, "Bold commoner, His Highness's name cannot be addressed so directly by you!"
Yan Shuixin was angry. Did Xiao Yeheng not inform the guards in advance so that she could be allowed to pass smoothly? Thinking that he was deeply poisoned, she feared there might be other mishaps.
With this in mind, she felt extremely anxious. "I'm quite familiar with King An. Can I please see him?"
"Go away." The guard waved his hand, like shooing away a fly. "Our prince is not seeing any guests right now."
"In that case, I'll find Fang Yi and tell him that I can suppress the poison King An is suffering from."
Fang Yi was Xiao Yeheng's trusted confidant and the steward of King An's mansion.
The guard looked suspiciously at 'him' and saw that although he was dressed in coarse cloth, his features were extremely handsome, and his demeanor was extraordinary. It was obvious that he was not an ordinary person.
Moreover, hearing 'him' say that he could suppress the poison afflicting King An, the guard became much more polite. "I'll inform Steward Fang immediately."
Shortly after, a young man in his twenties, with average looks but a mature expression, walked out from inside the mansion gate. He glanced at Yan Shuixin and found his appearance pleasing to the eye. "Is what you said true?"
Yan Shuixin looked at his appearance and the carved bamboo jade hairpin on his head, confirming that he was Fang Yi. She understood what he meant. "The poison can be suppressed, but not cured."
"Oh?" Fang Yi's eyes lit up with hope, but he remained cautious. "How can I trust your goodwill?" Nowadays, within three days, two groups of people attempted to assassinate King An, so he had to be cautious. He would rather miss out than put His Highness in danger again.
"As a child, I had frequent encounters with hailstorms, and as an adult, I often experienced frost and snow. Bitterness and sweetness abound, tasting the flavor of life. Cold and warmth linger, experiencing both warmth and coldness." Yan Shuixin asked calmly, "Fang Yi, how's this poem?"
Fang Yi suddenly recalled a few years ago when King An wrote this poem in his study and asked the same question, "Fang Yi, is this poem good?"
"Very good. His Highness is quite talented, and I admire you." He remembered how he had answered back then.
"If someone recites this poem and speaks to you in this way, then they are someone I trust." Xiao Yeheng finished speaking and burned the poem he had just written. No matter how many setbacks he faced in life, he never revealed them to outsiders.
"Yes." He respectfully noted it down, feeling emotional about King An's childhood loss of his mother and later the disfigurement of his face. Indeed, fate was cruel.
Seeing Fang Yi's slightly absent-minded look, Yan Shuixin didn't rush him.
Fang Yi snapped out of his memories and quickly made a gesture of invitation. "Mr. Yan, please come in this way!"
Yan Shuixin, dressed in men's clothing, followed Fang Yi into King An's mansion.
The mansion of King An was adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, with porcelain lamps hanging and magnificent pavilions and terraces exuding a majestic atmosphere. The courtyard was spacious, with various precious flowers and trees neatly arranged and trimmed. The patrolling guards highlighted the incomparable nobility of the owner.
Fang Yi led Yan Shuixin to the grand main hall of King An's mansion. Exquisite rosewood tables and chairs were sturdy and stable; valuable calligraphy and paintings adorned the walls; and elegant potted plants decorated the corners, exuding a sense of luxury.
"Mr. Yan, please have a seat." Fang Yi, assuming 'he' was a man, gestured towards one of the chairs in a row.
Yan Shuixin sat down without ceremony. "How is Xiao Yeheng?"
Although Fang Yi was displeased with 'his' direct address to the prince's name, he did not comment. "His Highness is deeply poisoned. King Jin has already secretly spread the news, so it's not a secret."
"Where is he?" she asked directly.
"He's in the Rain Pavilion."
From her previous conversations with Xiao Yeheng, Yan Shuixin knew that King An's mansion was divided into many courtyards, such as the Floating Cloud Pavilion. He often resided in the Rain Pavilion.
Before entering the backyard, she went to the side hall. Even without someone leading the way, she quickly entered the courtyard of the Rain Pavilion, relying on the map of the mansion she had seen before.
Unconcerned with admiring the beautiful scenery of the courtyard, she stepped towards a side room on the left.
Fang Yi, seeing 'him' moving around the mansion as if it were 'his' own home, was surprised but understood that 'he' was the prince's confidant. Before opening the door of the first side room on the left, he stopped. "Mr. Yan, please wait a moment!"
Yan Shuixin looked at him in confusion. "What's the matter?"
Fang Yi's face showed concern. "Since you are a doctor, be mentally prepared."
At that moment, a beast-like roar came from the room, as if there was a mad, trapped animal inside.
Yan Shuixin could tell that it was Xiao Yeheng's voice. Could it be that he had gone mad?
In a panic, she pushed open the door of the side room, only to see Xiao Yeheng in tattered clothes, still wearing the same blue shirt as when they last parted. His body had several scabbed wounds peeking out of the ragged clothes.
Three thick chains extended from the corners of the wall, restraining his limbs except for the left leg, which was severed. His wrists and right ankle were chained, forming a lock resembling the Chinese character '大' (meaning big).
His hair was disheveled, and his prosthetic eye in the left eye socket was missing, leaving an empty hole. His right eye was bloodshot like blood. When he saw someone open the door, he roared angrily, rushing towards the door but unable to move forward due to being chained. The thick chains were pulled out a bit due to the brute force, leaving deep blood marks on his wrists and right ankle.
Tears instantly welled up in Yan Shuixin's eyes, uncontrollable like beads on a broken string. "How did he end up like this?"
Seeing 'him' shed tears of extreme sorrow, Fang Yi felt that 'he' truly cared for the prince and explained with a heavy heart, "Four days ago, King An was rescued by His Majesty and treated by imperial doctors. His Highness has been poisoned for at least a month. If it were an ordinary person, they would have gone mad long ago. I don't know who provided the medicine to suppress the poison all this time. The imperial doctors said that if that person had continued to provide medicine, perhaps His Highness wouldn't have gone mad. But His Highness went mad suddenly, probably due to some kind of shock. His Majesty said it might be because someone called Xin'er fell off a cliff, and His Highness couldn't bear the blow, so he went mad instantly."
"Four days ago, I also rushed over with His Majesty. I witnessed King An trying to jump off the cliff at all costs, saying that his Xin'er was down there and he wanted to accompany her."
As Fang Yi spoke, his eyes moistened. "King An has always been unrestrained with women. I don't know if this Xin'er person is a man or a woman. All I know is that for that person, His Highness can throw away his life."
Yan Shuixin was deeply moved, unable to express her emotions. She looked at Xiao Yeheng's frantic appearance and felt heartbroken. "Why are you so foolish? What merits and abilities does Xin'er have to deserve your deep affection?"
Her words were directed at the mad Xiao Yeheng.
However, Fang Yi was shocked. "So, you are Xin'er? His Majesty sent people to search for you under the cliff for three or four days without any results." Staring at her in men's clothing, with no Adam's apple and unusually fair skin, he suddenly realized, "You are a woman! In that case, you helped King An suppress the poison."
She nodded slightly. "Three days ago, I arrived at Hejiatun through the waterway from under the cliff. There were some delays, so I came rushing here only now."
Fang Yi waved his hand towards the back, letting the guards go to inform the emperor that the person had been found.
Yan Shuixin walked towards the frantic Xiao Yeheng.
Fang Yi anxiously reached out to stop her. "Miss Yan, please don't get close to King An. Four days ago, His Highness woke up from a coma and suddenly became insane and bloodthirsty. Several servants who were taking care of him were directly killed by him in a fit of rage, and their bodies were torn apart into several pieces. He has no reason and kills on sight. Fortunately, he didn't have a knife in his hand, or the consequences would have been even more severe. Hundreds of experts in the mansion couldn't restrain King An, and eight of them were killed. When His Majesty came to visit and saw this, he had no choice but to send people to shoot several arrows dipped in a drug to subdue King An."
"What about his food and drink?" Yan Shuixin saw the messy bowls and plates on the ground, with the food inside spoiled.
"We tried to feed His Highness, but he would hit anything he saw and bite anyone who came close. Even though he's chained, as long as someone approaches, his profound inner strength can send them flying." Fang Yi's face was full of sadness. "He hasn't eaten or drunk for almost four days."
Yan Shuixin looked at Xiao Yeheng's frenzied appearance and cracked lips, and tears fell once again.
"Although he hasn't had food or water for four days, His Highness is still extremely irrational and violent. This state of mind might continue until he exhausts himself and... dies." Fang Yi suddenly kneeled down in front of Yan Shuixin and said, "Miss Yan, I beg you to save His Highness! As long as you can save him, you can ask me to do anything."
"I am his woman; I am more distressed than you!" Yan Shuixin covered her mouth, crying with blurry tears in her eyes. Being pregnant, she feared for her baby's safety, yet she dared not approach Xiao Yeheng recklessly.
Fang Yi was shocked, but he thought that if it weren't for romantic feelings between a man and a woman, how could His Highness willingly die for her when he still had some sanity?
There lay a bamboo armor split in half on the ground, and Yan Shuixin immediately understood, "Someone tried to assassinate him."
Fang Yi nodded. "Three days ago, there was a rebellion among the guards in the mansion. We did our best to suppress it, but someone still managed to get close to the chained King An and attack him with a knife, slashing his shoulder. Just when we thought His Highness was severely injured, he used his inner strength to send the assassin flying. His Highness was unharmed, and we then realized he was wearing armor. There was also a physician who claimed to treat His Highness's wounds, but it turned out he intended to poison him. Fortunately, I had other imperial doctors check the medicine he brewed, and we discovered the problem."
"I made this bamboo armor myself." Yan Shuixin slightly pulled open her clothes to reveal the bamboo armor inside. "He and I each have one."
Fang Yi saw the bamboo armor on her and the one on the ground that had been split in half, finally fully believing that she was indeed someone very close to King An.
Otherwise, why would King An wear clothes made by her?
Xiao Yeheng continued to roar frantically, his eyes devoid of any trace of human rationality.
Yan Shuixin recalled the more than one hundred lunatics in the prison back then who were equally terrifying.
"Miss Yan, what should we do? If this continues, His Highness will really die."
Yan Shuixin rolled up her sleeves, wiped away the tears from her face, cleared her throat, and gently called out to Xiao Yeheng, "Husband, Xin'er is here by your side. Husband, husband..."
As she called out, Xiao Yeheng, who was roaring and swinging the heavy iron chains, miraculously slowed down his ferocious movements.
Fang Yi was amazed to see this.
Emperor Xiao Jing appeared at some point outside the door. Fang Yi was about to greet him when Xiao Jing waved his hand, indicating that he should remain silent.
Yan Shuixin spoke to Xiao Yeheng again: "Husband, do you miss me? Xin'er wants to hug you; is that okay?"
Xiao Yeheng gradually calmed down.
"Husband, I'm here now. You can't hurt me." She approached him step-by-step.
Fang Yi admired her courage but was also deeply worried for her.
King An was incredibly strong, and if he accidentally tore her apart... the consequences would be unimaginable.
But King An hadn't had food or water for many days. If no one got close to him, he would either die of thirst or hunger.
While hesitating, Yan Shuixin had already entered halfway into the room.
"Husband, do you remember the good news I told you?" Her steps were slow, as if afraid of startling her precious one, and her melodious voice was exceptionally pleasant to the ears.
At this moment, Xiao Yeheng was completely irrational, but the familiar voice that he loved deeply seemed to have an invisible power that could soothe his agitation.
He stood there like a wooden statue, listening carefully to her gentle tone.
Emperor Xiao Jing watched the slender figure approaching the Third Prince and couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. To be honest, even he, as the emperor, didn't dare approach Xiao Yeheng at this moment.
Fang Yi was also nervously on edge. As the assistant to King An, he naturally didn't want anything to happen to the woman His Highness was risking his life to protect.
Xiao Yeheng also heard the approaching footsteps, so light and silent yet so familiar.
It seemed like he often heard it.
Yan Shuixin finally reached Xiao Yeheng, extending her slender arms to encircle his thin waist. She didn't dare make any big movements, as if afraid of startling him.
Fang Yi truly feared that Yan Shuixin would be sent flying by the prince's inner strength. Emperor Xiao Jing couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat of fear.
Usually, anyone who got close to King An would have been sent flying long ago.
Yan Shuixin deeply understood her different position in Xiao Yeheng's heart. She never expected that, even in his current madness, he wouldn't harm her.
Just how much does this man love her?
Unconsciously, Xiao Yeheng caught a whiff of a pleasant fragrance, and the soft female body pressed against him tightly. He must have often embraced her like this.
With one hand holding a pre-prepared pill, Yan Shuixin wrapped her arm around Xiao Yeheng's back and pressed his neck, forcing him to lower his head. She stood on tiptoe, taking the initiative to press her lips against his.
She sucked on his lips, pushing his teeth apart with her tongue and delivering the pill into his mouth.
The scalding tears slid down her pure white cheeks, the hairpin on her head came loose and fell, and her dark hair cascaded down, accentuating her picturesque features, making her extraordinarily beautiful!
She was like a pear blossom drenched in rain, slender and graceful, her emotional eyes and brows captivating.
Emperor Xiao Jing and Fang Yi couldn't help but be mesmerized.
Both of them were well-traveled and knowledgeable, yet they had never seen anyone as stunning as her.
The kiss between Yan Shuixin and Xiao Yeheng was mixed with the taste of medicine and the saltiness of tears, rich with deep pain. Xiao Yeheng's blood-red eyes seemed to regain a moment of clarity.
The kiss seemed like it would last forever. Yan Shuixin only stopped when she could no longer stand still.
Xiao Yeheng, feeling anxious, lowered his head to continue seeking her lips. His hands were bound by iron chains, unable to embrace her, yet it seemed like something he instinctively loved.
She leaned in again.
After a while, she weakly leaned on his shoulder and asked, "Husband, would you like to eat something?"
Emperor Xiao Jing, who was beside them, immediately waved his hand to let Fang Yi fetch food.
Understanding, Fang Yi left quietly.
Xiao Yeheng seemed to be completely focused on Yan Shuixin, unaware of the people around him.
Fang Yi quickly returned with a tray. On the tray were two large bowls of meat porridge and a bowl of warm water. Yan Shuixin reached out and took them. She scooped up a spoonful of porridge and offered it to Xiao Yeheng's lips. "Husband, be good; open your mouth."
Xiao Yeheng seemed unaware, but when she fed him the spoonful of porridge, perhaps due to hunger, he instinctively swallowed.
Yan Shuixin fed him another spoonful, which he quickly ate. He finished both bowls of porridge in just a few bites.
She then fed Xiao Yeheng a large bowl of water.
Only then did she stop him from eating more because someone who had been hungry for so long shouldn't eat and drink too much at once to avoid harming the stomach.
Xiao Yeheng hadn't slept for four consecutive days. Perhaps having her by his side made him feel particularly at ease. He gradually closed his lone eye and leaned on her shoulder, falling asleep.
Fang Yi collected the bowls and handed them to the servant outside the door.
Yan Shuixin was afraid of waking Xiao Yeheng up, so she softly asked Emperor Xiao Jing, "Could you please unlock the chains on my husband?"
Even if the Emperor disagreed, she would never let Xiao Yeheng be chained up like a beast again. It broke her heart!
Emperor Xiao Jing was also afraid that Xiao Yeheng would continue to kill people indiscriminately, so he had no choice but to chain him up. Seeing him calm down, he immediately nodded.
Fang Yi picked up the keys and approached Xiao Yeheng, carefully inserting the keys into the locks on his wrist.
Xiao Yeheng suddenly opened his blood-red eyes wide, overflowing with a murderous aura.
Fang Yi was so scared that he fell to the ground.
Yan Shuixin hurriedly gently patted Xiao Yeheng's back and whispered, "Husband, Xin'er is here, you can't hurt anyone, okay?"
Xiao Yeheng quieted down again.
Seeing Fang Yi trembling on the ground, she picked up the keys herself and unlocked the shackles on Xiao Yeheng.
To her surprise, he miraculously cooperated very well.
Fang Yi shed a tear of heartbreak in his heart. He and King An grew up together; their bond was more than just that of brothers; they were definitely not ordinary masters and servants. It felt like the prince was rejecting him, hitting him with a thunderstorm of ten thousand strikes.
Emperor Xiao Jing was also deeply affected. Wasn't the Third Prince the one who loved his elder brother the most?
Why was it that only that woman named Xin'er could soothe him?
Emperor Xiao Jing couldn't help but shudder at the thought that he would soon become as crazed and terrifying as the Third Prince. He couldn't help but wonder: if he went mad too, would anyone be able to calm his frenzy?
Perhaps not. Before completely losing his mind, he might as well end it himself.
The room was filled with spoiled food, spilled all over the floor, emitting a foul odor. Xiao Yeheng had actually lost control of his bladder and bowels.
Fang Yi immediately began to clean up the floor himself, wiping it several times.
Yan Shuixin ordered someone to bring several buckets of cold water, preparing to bathe Xiao Yeheng.
At this time, using hot water might exacerbate his madness. Cold water, on the other hand, could help physiologically cool him down.
Perhaps Xiao Yeheng's body was already exhausted to the limit.
It seemed fitting to let her bathe him.
Emperor Xiao Jing and Fang Yi helped out on the side. They were surprised that she didn't mind the foul smell emanating from King An.
Yan Shuixin cleaned Xiao Yeheng from head to toe, then helped him put on a clean white robe before assisting him to lie down on the bed.
Only then did she have the chance to look around this oversized chamber.
The walls were all carved from top-grade sandalwood, with intricate designs of gold dragons in each corner on the Hanbaiyu pillars, exquisitely embroidered eight-panel folding screens, and majestic landscape paintings hung on the walls.
It was said that King An Mansion was the most magnificent mansion in the entire Fengxiang Kingdom outside of the palace itself.
Yan Shuixin thought it was not wrong at all; it was truly luxurious and splendid!
Emperor Xiao Jing and Fang Yi left the room, leaving Yan Shuixin and Xiao Yeheng to lie together on the carved bed, closing their eyes to sleep.
Her heart seemed to be so painful that even in her dreams, it was filled with vivid bloodstains.
After a good night's sleep, Yan Shuixin was awakened by a kiss.
Raindrop-like kisses fell on her body. Feeling the familiar breath, she didn't need to guess to know that it was Xiao Yeheng who initiated it.
The dawn light seeped into the huge room from outside the window, and she saw Xiao Yeheng's face, which was half ruined and half handsome.
And there was only a hole left in his left eye socket.
Yan Shuixin's heart ached; her man was so pitiful.
Sensing that he was about to take the final step, she reached out and pressed his acupoint.
"Sorry," she whispered softly.
She was already his; it wasn't that she was unwilling to give herself to him. But...
Although he had taken the pill she provided, his emotions were still unstable, and he was prone to losing control. She was pregnant now and couldn't bear to be harmed.
Secondly, he absolutely couldn't engage in intimacy until the detoxification was complete; otherwise, it would only deepen the toxicity.
She turned him over and let him lie on his back while she got up to dress and covered him with a thin blanket.
It was hot in the summer, and the bedding didn't need to be too thick.
After putting on her shoes, she opened the door of the room, and Emperor Xiao Jing's somewhat thin figure stood in the morning sunlight. He turned around, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Miss Yan, good morning."
Yan Shuixin looked at his dragon robe, which was damp with mist, and affirmed, "Your Majesty, did you stay outside all night?"
Emperor Xiao Jing nodded slightly, his handsome face filled with guilt. "When my mother was alive, I promised to take care of Yeheng well. Now, he... I haven't fulfilled my duty as an older brother."
Yan Shuixin didn't think Emperor Xiao Jing was entirely at fault either. If it weren't for King An's efforts to stabilize the country for Xiao Jing, why would he be seen as a thorn in King Jin's side? But in this era, she couldn't blame the emperor.
So, she remained silent.
Emperor Xiao Jing sighed softly. "In the past six months, you must have spent a lot of time with the Third Prince, right? Otherwise, he wouldn't only recognize you."
"Except for four... five days ago when I fell off the cliff, the rest of the time, I was with King An." Yan Shuixin saw no need to hide anything.
"Then you must know how his leg was chopped off." Xiao Jing looked eager. "And what happened between you two in the past six months?"
"It was the Empress Dowager who added poison to the Huagong Powder. After Xiao Yeheng and the Empress Dowager had dinner together, he lost consciousness and woke up with his left leg chopped off below the knee." Yan Shuixin had just finished speaking when Xiao Jing's face filled with anger. "That despicable Liang Qingzhen, the Third Prince was adopted by her and regarded her as his mother since he was two years old. She's so malicious! Yeheng must be so heartbroken..."
"The ones who harmed King An and me are King Jin and the Empress Dowager behind the scenes. So, Your Majesty, do you have a way to deal with them now?" she asked.
Emperor Xiao Jing shook his head and said, "Many of my trusted ministers, including the closest ones to me and the Third Prince, have fallen victim to the Qihuan Poison. Now, even I am poisoned by it." He sighed bitterly, "King Jin and the Empress Dowager held great power even when my father was on the throne, so they're not afraid to challenge my authority. Now, I'm struggling to protect myself. In recent days, I have found it increasingly difficult to control my emotions. It won't be long before I become crazy, bloodthirsty, and irrational. Unless King An and I can detoxify ourselves, I'm afraid there's little we can do against them."
Yan Shuixin also felt a sense of helplessness in her heart. "Your Majesty once ordered King An to investigate the enormous funds of unknown origin associated with King Jin. King A found out that King Jin colluded with the nobles to set up secret prisons, betting on the lives of prisoners to amass wealth. Like me, I was eliminated by someone, and King Jin paid a hefty sum to have me thrown into prison."
"This is a matter of life and death. The Third Prince told you, indicating that he considers you the closest person to him." Emperor Xiao Jing glared. "King Jin deserves to die; I won't spare him!"
Yan Shuixin recounted everything that happened in and out of the prison to the emperor. She didn't want to go into too much detail initially, but he asked specifically, so she had no choice but to tell him everything.
Of course, she didn't portray herself as Xiao Yeheng's savior but leaned towards saying that King A took care of her all the way.
After talking for a while, the two went separately to have breakfast and then continued in the hall.
It wasn't until noon that Yan Shuixin finished recounting everything that happened along the way.
Emperor Xiao Jing was a wise man. "Miss Yan, if it weren't for you resolving the Qihuan Poison for the Third Prince and taking care of him all the way, he might not have survived the journey back to the capital. As for General Tu Zhenguo, I will immediately relieve him of his duties by decree! I don't believe he can still resist now!"
With that, he stood up and bowed to Yan Shuixin.
Yan Shuixin quickly helped him up: "Your Majesty, there's no need!"
Emperor Xiao Jing shook his head and said, "You deserve it. I'm not bowing to you as the emperor but expressing my gratitude to you as Yeheng's brother." His eyes were full of sadness. "Now, I'm going crazy too, and in the future, I entrust Yeheng to you, Miss Yan."
"Your Majesty, you're exaggerating." Yan Shuixin gently touched her stomach. "I am King An's woman and have already conceived his child. Whatever I do for Xiao Yeheng is my duty."
Emperor Xiao Jing's face lit up. "The Third Prince has an heir! That's wonderful!" He was even happier than when he became a father himself. Then he asked, "Does the Third Prince know about this?"
She nodded.
Steward Fang Yi was not an outsider, so he overheard their conversation.
Fang Yi couldn't help but admire Yan Shuixin's ability to save the prince from danger several times and felt ecstatic to the point of tears.
Because the imperial physician had said that anyone affected by the Qihuan Poison would lose their fertility. He thought King A would have no heirs, but unexpectedly, the prince had been with Miss Yan before being poisoned, and now Miss Yan was pregnant.
This was truly a great joy!
Fang Yi was filled with tears for a moment.
"Bad news, King An has gone mad again!" A guard rushed in to report.
Yan Shuixin and the emperor hurriedly ran in the direction of Tingyu Pavilion, with Fang Yi following quickly.
In the courtyard of Tingyu Pavilion, Xiao Yeheng kicked away several guards, and it seemed like he was about to start another massacre. A slender figure dashed into his arms.
He immediately held the woman in his arms tightly, refusing to let go.
Emperor Xiao Jing raised his hand, and a group of guards with bruises and swollen eyes retreated in embarrassment.
"Husband, I will always be by your side," Yan Shuixin said softly in his embrace.
Xiao Yeheng's eyes were dull; his red eyes had returned to normal black and white, seemingly devoid of reason, but he no longer harmed anyone.
"Shall we sit there for a while? Is that okay?" Yan Shuixin changed her approach and took Xiao Yeheng's hand, leading him to sit down at a stone table in the courtyard.
Fang Yi immediately ordered someone to prepare a meal for Xiao Yeheng.
Yan Shuixin sat at the stone table and once again fed Xiao Yeheng until he was full in front of the emperor.
The emperor was very surprised. "Miss Yan, Yeheng is so calm. The medicine you gave him really works wonders. I suppose he only got angry earlier because he couldn't find you."
"Yes, the medicine I prepared can suppress the poison in his body."
Emperor Xiao Jing spoke up, "Could you prepare more pills? Many of the generals under my command and King An's have gone mad, each becoming crazed and bloodthirsty..."
"I'm pregnant and shouldn't exert myself too much," Yan Shuixin thought for a moment. "I'm willing to provide the prescription. Please order the imperial physician to make the medicine. After the medicine is prepared, it should be checked to prevent tampering."
"Miss Yan, you've done a great service." The emperor sighed. None of the imperial physicians under his command seemed to be able to handle the situation.
Finally, there was a lead with a physician named Liu Ji who could produce the antidote, but he mysteriously fell into the river and died.
Claiming it was an accidental fall into the river was too convenient. It must have been King Jin's doing.
With this in mind, the emperor immediately ordered, "No one is to leak a word about Miss Yan's ability to make medicine, or else they will face execution along with their entire family!"
"Yes," Fang Yi immediately instructed.
Yan Shuixin felt that the punishment of nine generations was excessive. She thought perhaps if the emperor went mad again, the country would be in jeopardy.
When the servant brought ink and paper, she quickly wrote down the prescription, which was then taken by the emperor's attendant, Eunuch Lin De, and presented to the emperor.
Emperor Xiao Jing thought that someone as extraordinary as Yan Shuixin must be able to write beautifully... Little did he know, her handwriting was like dog excrement, the ugliest he had ever seen in his life.
Yan Shuixin wasn't a calligrapher from ancient times. Seeing the emperor's expression, she really wanted to challenge him to a handwriting competition with a fountain pen!
But, alas, in this era, there weren't even fountain pens.
Emperor Xiao Jing said solemnly, "Miss Yan, rest assured, I will decree to reward Secretary Yan. Let your family be honored." Although Yan Qing was not worth much, having a daughter like Yan Shuixin was considered a blessing.
Wait a minute... Rewarding Secretary Yan? What's that supposed to mean? Yan Shuixin immediately said, "Your Majesty, please don't. I am not the daughter of Secretary Yan Qing. I am the only closed-door disciple of the late Medicine God Sima Jing. Although I'm called a disciple, in fact, I am... his illegitimate daughter, and I take my mother's surname."
Anyway, Sima Jing was all alone in the world, with no son or daughter.
She might as well pretend to be his daughter for a bit. It's better than acknowledging that scumbag Yan Qing as her father.
"So you're just sharing the same name and surname as Yan Qing's daughter." The emperor didn't doubt her. "That's what I said. According to my investigation, Yan Qing's daughter, Yan Shuixin, is weak-willed and illiterate. How could she possess such remarkable medical skills?"
Well, that's what you said, not me. Yan Shuixin felt embarrassed and said, "Your Majesty, you praise me too much. My medical skills are not exceptional; I can only suppress poisons."
Emperor Xiao Jing ordered someone to take the prescription to the imperial physician for preparation, ensuring the secrecy of the prescription, then said, "Miss Yan, can't you try to come up with an antidote?"
"I'll give it a try," she added, "but please, Your Majesty, don't get your hopes up. After all, if so many imperial physicians couldn't do it, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to either."
"I'll have all the research on this poison sent..." Xiao Jing saw Xiao Yeheng holding Yan Shuixin in his arms, letting her sit on his lap, so he cleared his throat. "Yeheng probably can't bear to be separated from you for a moment, so you'll stay with him. The research will be sent to Tingyu Pavilion."
"Or just prepare a separate research room for me, right next to the bedroom."
"Why haven't you gone yet?" Emperor Xiao Jing glanced at the eunuch Lin De standing behind him.
Lin De complied, "Yes."
In just a few hours, the research room was set up. Several medicine cabinets against the wall were made up of various small drawers, stocked with all kinds of medicinal materials, pestle and mortar, alchemy furnaces, and everything else needed.
One of the bookshelves not only contained books and handwritten records about the Qihuan Poison but also many lost medical books.
Yan Shuixin immediately entered the research room and began to study the books.
Xiao Yeheng followed her like a big tail; wherever she went, he followed.
After a day passed, Yan Shuixin came up with a pile of medicine paste. Emperor Xiao Jing had been staying at King An's Mansion all this time, partly to spend more time with King An and partly because he was eager to get the antidote.
The antidote she prescribed calmed down all the mad courtiers who took it.
Even he felt much calmer after taking the medicine, and his frenzied emotions were subdued.
He believed she would surely be able to come up with the antidote, right?